GAO: Pentagon Improperly Sold F-14 Parts
File Under: Situation Normal: All F#@ked Up. Is there a bigger oxymoron than National Security in the Bush Administration?
SFGate: (h/t Gregory)
The Pentagon sold more than a thousand aircraft parts that could be used on F-14 fighter jets - a plane flown only by Iran - after announcing it had halted sales of such surplus, government investigators say.
In a report Wednesday, the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, said the Defense Department had improved security in its surplus program to prevent improper sales of sensitive items.
But investigators found that roughly 1,400 parts that could be used on F-14 "Tomcat" fighter jets were sold to the public in February. That came after the Pentagon announced it had suspended sales of all parts that could be used on the Tomcat while it reviewed security concerns.
Iran, trying to keep its F-14s able to fly, is aggressively seeking components from the retired U.S. Tomcat fleet.
The Pentagon's surplus sales division - the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service - told investigators the parts were sold because it failed to update an automated control list and remove the aircraft parts before they were listed on its Internet sales site.
The GAO's investigation focused on F-14 parts.
"One country with operational F-14s, Iran, is known to be seeking these parts," Greg Kutz, the GAO's managing director of special investigations, wrote in the report. "If such parts were publicly available, it could jeopardize national security."
Shorter GAO: Bush Administration Supplies Arms to Iran.
That's all that needs to be said.
This is a crock they were talking on the Randi RHODES show on Air America last year about these sales and the Racist Nazis Committee(RNC) the Fascist NeoCons' and the wacked out right wing religious nuts shouted her down. I wrote a few times asking about it but nothig was said I asked the Major Media outlet and they never answered. So while trying to make a story that is not a story but a story that was reported well over a year ago and EVERYBODY else drpped the ball.
A lot of the parts were sold to you you guessed it IRAN , see the almighty dollar and the treason of being a repukulan has no boundries.
Great! Now is the defense dept.guilty of aiding and abetting the enemy?
You know whose fault this wasn't? Donald Rumsfeld's.
We arm them over there so we don't have to arm them over here.
My God, does it get any more blatant? I mean, really, this is pretty black and white here, guys.
They probably just "didn't recall" that they weren't supposed to sell those parts.
Anything the Bumbling Bushies do to improve security is purely accidental.
All you NeoCons out there that say Bush is just trying to protect the American people--feel safer now??? LOL
Did they sell the parts to Iran so Iran could have their planes in good shape when we begin the war with them? How thoughtful.
I'm inclined to say arrest everyone at the pentagon for aiding and abetting terrorists but, i'm not sure that Iran supports terrorists any more than (Bush's friends) Saudi Arabia or Pakistan
Yeah, well it makes sense to me! The Bush Administration has to do something to keep the war going.
9/11 occurred on Bush's watch. That's all anyone really needs to know. Oh -- and as it happened, he took that opportunity to settle in and read a good book.
Everything is about the money.
This IS situation normal. From weapons sales during Iran Contra to the present, we've always sold Iran weapons. Each time it's always a 'mistake', but really it's always been done (by Republicans).
I knew that we sold arms to Iran in the 1980s. But the Top Gun plane? Wow. I did not know that.
Bola de estupidos!
George Bushi - "You're either with us, or we'll sell you parts you need for you army"
Esta Administracion son una bola de PENDEJOS!
So, what did our "Supreme Commander of the Unitary Executive Council of the Galactic Federation" have to say about this? .....uhm, well, you know,
we fooled you once, shame on you?
“If such parts were publicly available, it could jeopardize national security.”
In other words, it could limit our ability to wage unprovoked wars of aggression on other countries by enabling them to defend themselves against us.
Oh, and what about those missing weapons supposedly "sold" to the Iraqi Army but completely unaccounted for in a recent GAO review of (non-existent) DOD recordkeeping?
But I guess as long as everyone along the way is getting paid then "Mission Accomplished".
in the near future we will start hearing the reports from homeland security that Iran has started a program to repair their fleet of F-14's to attack americans in Iraq unless we do something about it.... well kiss my ass.
....If we only had a brain..... Yep, nothing like having the left hand not know what the right hand is doing...And then hnaving it come out in public to ensure that publics faith in your administrations stewardship... Yea, we really have some bigshot smart brains running shit in this country these days... Or maybe selling spare parts to Iran, this weeks latest straw pony bad guy, whilst symultaniously trying to drum up support for another bullshit war against that nation... And trying to justify it with reasons that don't automatically scream LAME, is the Bushco idea of ensuring a fair fight when they go ahead and pull their long awaited Iranian version of the Gulf of Tonkin scam again... I really, at this point can't figure out why even 9 percent, let alone 29 to 32 percent of this nation still backs these incompetent morons...No wonder the rest of the world is coming to view us as idiots....JD
World War IV! World War IV! World War IV!
Lucid, I think he said "Fuckin' up the world's hard work, but ahm doin' mah best".
In all seriousness, the West helped arm and build the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, so why not aid Iran for the next conflagration?
We've already done the same with "Red" China. This is merely another step toward...well...
World War IV! World War IV! World War IV!
It makes sense, really. We need Iran to attack us, or attack somebody, to give us an excuse to nuke them. They can't attack anybody without functioning aircraft.
I don't recall doing this.
Something tells me this is BJ Klintoon's fault. I'm not sure why...yet, but I am sure I will know why soon after someone at Powerline, LGF or Redstate tell me why.
Good Lord.
Mind numbing incompetence ... maybe thats the secret
so many ClusterF%^ks no thinking person can even keep track of them anymore.
And:
RIP Tommy Makem
Greediness has no bounds... U.S. is prostituting with an enemy for their oil and blns of dollars.
Make sure their planes can fly. Then they can do as they did with Saddam, paint bombers in UN colors and fly low over Iranian targets to try to get them to use their military jets. Give us an excuse. We'll get news stories about them building up their air power.
Our regime doesn't want to develop alternative energy so they are militarizing us to expect perpetual war with the middle east.
I just watche "A Crude Awakening" everyone should....
Let's all remember now, ALL wars are planned and financed by the
globalist elite whose only mission in life is to suck out the life blood
of all nations and resources. It's all a global chess game. When you
have criminals like Kissinger who gets 'Knighted' by the Queen for his
"gooooood" deeds, you might start seeing just how sick the evil goes.
Well, when the administration vetoed the F16 parts selling and modernization to Venezuela, Hugo decided to buy 3 billion dollars worth of Russian armament. Someone must have thought tat it was a pity to lose such business oportunities.
I was at that auction in February. Picked up an ejector seat and a really cool helmet, cheap!
The guy sitting next to me was dressed very snappily - and he picked up some good deals on navigation components and two tracking systems. Said he was taking his stuff back home to "Terran" - which I think is in Indiana. He was a nice guy - he even offered me a mint.
Heat-resistant carbon-steel F-14 missile guidance gyroscope bracket sold to aircraft parts dealer - $5300.00
Twenty-pound heat-resistant carbon-steel bracket sold to Sanford & Son Recycling - $5.30
Come on people, do the math. The military industrial complex does.
They may have the planes, but they'll never American ingenuity and gumption! You're just as safe as ever, America!
First the instructions and illustrations on the internet on how to build a nuke, with love from the chimpy gang, now this.
First the disbanding and the killing of Sunnis, then they turn around and give them weapons.
And the house is out playing in the sunshine.
repugs are magicians, poof and things happen their wrong way.
If real lives and deaths were not involved, these last six plus years would read like a great comedy.
Bud, that comment #32 was priceless. Truly did make me laugh out loud.
This is the same Pentagram err Pentagon that supposedly can't account for TRILLION$ of our tax dollar$?
So typical. Stir up shit with one hand, hold out your other behind your back for money. Or alternately, stir up shit, and then jump up and make noised to your mindless authoritarian followers about how you are going to protect them from the shit you started
V V
Thanks for the kind words, POP - sometimes making fun is the only way I can psychologically deal with this stuff. Gets too depressing otherwise.
USA=Wars-R-Us
We furnish weapons to the future "enemy"
We begin the war
Then we bitch because the enemy has weapons
We're a full service war provider and arranger
Wingnuts: "Oh yeah, well this must be Clinton's fault. After all, he lied about bj's".
Bud, in one of Jimmy Buffet's songs he says, "If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane". I agree with him. I also deeply appreciate anything that'll make me laugh these days because insanity doesn't seem as imposible as it once did.
POP -
"Changes in latitude, Changes in attitude - good times and riches and son-of-a-bitches - I've seen more than I can recall"
Thanks for giving me a smile! Cheers!
Lets see you or I try to sell Iran anything remotely close to
resembling weapons, and our ass will be off to Git-Mo
for aiding terrorist. Sooooo what does that make the Pentagon?
Rusty Shackleford @ #24
" It makes sense ,really."
Isreal is geeting $ 30 b worth of weaponry over a 10 year period.
S.A. , U.A.E. , Kuwait,erc. are getting $ 20 b of weaonry over a 10 year period.
The Iraqi Sunnis have received more arms from Gen. P.
IRAN's F-14's need upgrading and new parts . Aren't they F-14A's ?
Next week Turkey, Pakistan , Jordan and Syria will or should receive
something,I am sure.
Peace and prosperity in the Middle East .
SCHRODINGER"S CAT @ 45:
Are you dead or alive inside that box?
Is there a bigger oxymoron than National Security in the Bush Administration?
The one I like is when Chimpy chides congressional democrats for spending money when he is probably going to top a trillion dollars on a totally unnecessary war. This administration couldn't manage a 7-11! Buck Fush! Send Pretzels! End the Occupation! Impeach Bush, Cheney and Gonzo! Burn your Bhagavadgiitaa, Bible, Korano r Torah and be responsible already. This isn't a dress rehearsal and I am not wearing a dress!
Remember back in the bad old days when the
communistslibruls were running everything andReaganGingrichlil' george promised that if we voted for him he would restore integrity and competence to government?Bush was gonna be the CEO President and run government efficiently like
Enrona business.What a crock of shit that was. I could tolerate a little corruption if these bozos were at least competent. Talk about the Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight!
This is one weapon that we not only know exists, we also know where they are.
Parts come in all sizes, fuselages included.
Read the testimonies.
Somebody got a part in 5 minutes.
.
Ahhhhhhhh...
CORPORATISM AT IT'S FINEST!
Boeing and Lockheed still made their profits.
.
Bud, kindred souls. Anyone who knows the words to Buffet songs can't be all bad. :cool:
Bud @ 43:
"Wasting away again in Margaritaville" followed by "Why don't we get drunk and screw?"
Hey, watch it! Don't you LOVE AMERICA??? I mean, how DARE YOU!!! Really! Money is money no matter where it comes from or what had to be done to get it. It's the AMERICAN WAY. Just ask the Vice President, he'll tell you.
Ouch! I just stepped on a pop-top and cut my heel.
Guess I have to leave work early and cruise on back home.
how will iran aquire nukes?
they'll buy them from us via the internet.
bad guy: 'hello, Pentagon?'
pentagon: 'yes'
bad guy: 'i'd like a thousand poison gas rockets'
pentagon: 'paper or plastic?'
This was a mistake? Yeah, right.
How do you expect Iran to be manuvered into attacking (or at least appearing to attack) our fleet if they have no airborne jets?
We're gonna sell it over there so we don't have to sell them here.
They hate us for our parts.
Jenny'O @ 56:
Paypal or credit card?
__________
What drives me even more insane than the souless, gutless, morally bankrupt sons-of-steaming-ass-shat-demons that are selling these parts to a country that we claim is our next great enemy is the John Q Morons that go along with this crap, vote the same bastards back into office, and at bars and family barbecues regularly (try to) shout down anybody who looks askance at these evil policies!
GAAAH!
Silly me, I thought it's ILLEGAL to sell weaponry or components thereof to our enemies -- especially them varmints in the "axis of evil". Learn something new every day, I guess.
Jenny'O @ 56:
That's how we know Saddam had WMD's. We still had the receipts!
Capabilty Jones @ 57:
We'll just have to shoot down another one of their passenger jets.
What is the US airforce flying now, anyway?
(just curious)
Dr. Acula @ 61:
"If the President does it, it's not illegal."
Guess who said that?
tHeGaMeOfLiFe @ 59:
Parts is parts.
U.S. PLANS ARMS DEAL TO SAUDI SOCCER TEAM
See you guys later. I have to go searching for my lost shaker of salt. :cool:
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame. I know, it's Ann Coulter's fault.
Dr. Acula @ 61:
Seven years ago it was illegal and people were arrested. Guess it's 'who you know'.
http://aerospaceweb.org/question/planes/f14-iran/post.html
Don Davis @ 67:
I am totally amused by the second photograph. Someone should tell Mr Moneybags that body doubles don't do you any good if they ARE IN THE SAME ROOM WITH YOU!
:lol:
It's like trying to pick a republican politician out of a crowd:
"Git the mean-faced, bald, pudgy, red-tie-wearin' white-man!"
"Huh? Which one??"
Wow, helping them keep their F-14 Tomcats flying!?
Next thing you know, we'll be selling bi-plane engines to Belgium.
TB @ 72:
Uhm, doesn't that violate our 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy?
Random @ 14:
Exactly. This is different from Iran-Contra how?
Someone please explain to me how Iranian F-14s threaten US national security?
F-14s have a range of less than 600 miles and Iran has no aircraft carriers. Unless they smuggle one to Mexico and take off from a field, those planes will never reach anything that would threaten the nation or its security. Even if one did manage to get close to the US, we are several planes past the F-14 in technology. And if there's anything they REALLY wanted to blow up within 567 miles of Iran, there are much less obvious ways of accomplishing it than using an old jet. With no ability to project power overseas, the F-14 becomes an interceptor, a defensive jet.
Where's the threat?
myiq2xu @ 62:
Yes, problem was, those were expired and useless, so not as effective in propaganda. Which is why they had to fake the weapons programs.
navyscum @ 75. This might be the dumbest commet ever. Their F-14 can shoot back at U.S. TROOPS WHEN WE ATTACK IRAN.
navyswan @ 75:
Hush, don't come here with logic and sound arguments. You'll give Bill'O more excuses to label this place a loony left hate site.
navyswan @ 75:
Officially, Iran is embargoed and on our terrorism watch lists. they are considered a hostile foreign power.
Hitler didn't have aircraft that could reach the US, yet we hanged everyone stateside, that we caught delivering intel and military hardware to him. Except for PRescott Bush's friends of course.
What the Pentagon is doing, could get a regular citizen a lifetime prison sentence without parole.
But these days the law no longer has meaning, and traitors get Medals of Freedom.
TB @ 72:
I almost never literally LOL, but LOMFL!
Well, I think the "moron" part of that statement is right on! Everything this administration does has some sort of oxymoronic term attached: Clean Air Act, Healthy Forest Initiative, No Child Left Behind. They are all names directly opposite of their result! So, it should be no surprise that National Security leaves us less secure!
hayduke @ 77:
Well, it's just possible that lil' george's legacy will be that he was the man who finally reunited the Sunnis and the Shiites.
Well, if you recall, the US just stopped sales of F-14 parts specificly to Iran. But still sold them to other countries. So you knee jerk reactionists should really take a step back for a moment. If they wanted to stop the sale of those parts for good, then they should have done that at the start. not this half assed attempt. Trying is for loosers people.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/11/AR200706... dated JUNE 11/2007.
Some parts are unique to the Tomcat, some are not. Iran was the only country other than the US to fly Tomcats. WHOA that was when they were an ally of the US. Funny how things turn around. Why China would need any of these parts is beyond me, but OH NOES, they are then sold to AXIS IRAN.
Since the US has better faster more powerful aircraft, which rendered the Tomcat obsolete, hence the US retiring every Tomcat in service, why is the sale of obsolete parts such a concern for the US ????
Norse @ 78:
ghost_hacked @ 83:
Well, if you don't mind breaking laws, committing espionage and being a traitor to the US, then your argument makes sense.
As you appear to be a promoter of anti-American criminal activities, perhaps I can simplify the issue for you. We'll soon be at war with Iran. Our drafted soldiers will be on the ground, trying to bring the Iranians and American style democracy while we slaughter them back to the stone age.
The Republicans intend to invade to steal Iranian oil, it seems that it would be prudent not to give the Iranians additional military hardware before the invasion.
ghost_hacked @ 83:
Uh, because the planes can shoot at ships (including oil tankers,) tanks, trucks, buildings, and people?
Perhaps even carry a nuke? That of course assumes the entirely improbable event that Iran either builds one or begs, buys, or steals one from Pakistan, China, Russia, North Korea, etc.
Even without a nuke, consider all the damage that Iraqi insurgents are causing with obsolete artillery shells turned into IED's.
By your logic, we should sell obsolete .38 police revolvers to gangs because the cops carry better, faster more powerful .40 semi-automatics.
Heck the only targets Iran can hit are oil tankers, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, our new embassy in Iraq...
Iran's F-14's have not flown since the 80's. When we were kicked out of Iran. The Grumman techs that were there helping keep the planes flying, disabled them so they would not fly. So they have been sitting there for almost twenty years rotting in a hanger. Also, the F-14 we sold them are not able to strike a ground target. It is only able to be used in an air to air engagement.
Well, since it's against our laws to sell military hardware to Iran, then find those responsible and punish them appropriately. But not everything is a vital national security issue. Selling F-14 parts to Iran is illegal, but it doesn't present a security threat that's any greater than it was yesterday. The violation of the law should be the focus, not some trumped up fear mongering about the Iranian air force coming to get us, now that they can fix their 30+ year old planes.
And you people sure seem to have given up on the idea of stopping Bush from attacking Iran.
navyswan @ 89,
I think the amusing point to this article is just what you alluded to; the constant fear-mongering by the boosh administration in making Iran into a boogeyman on the one hand, while simultaneously selling military surplus that can only be used by Iran. This just reeks of ineptitude and stupidity.
The threat to our "national security" is coming from Washington, not Tehran, and it is not because of some obsolete military hardware.
Foo @ 34:
you bet !were 911 safe!
File Under: Situation Normal: All F#@ked Up. Is there a bigger oxymoron than National Security in the Bush Administration?
Yes: The department of Justice
Let's see, we're increasing military aid to Israel, building up the Saudi's military, smuggling arms to Iran, arming and training all warring militias in Iraq, and giving money to the Palestinians on the west bank.
So, since the invasion of Iraq failed, it looks like our new middle-east peace policy is to help all the middle-east countries become armed to the teeth, so they'll blow the hell out of each other, perhaps back to the stone age, and 'settle down' for a century or so.
But how are we gonna get the oil out?
Perhaps the Bushies haven't thought this approach out, either.
they build threats then charge us 10 figures to fight the threat
Weaseldog @ 73:
Best comment all day!
I think Goose and Maverick are available for limited engagements too.
Selling parts for advanced weapons on the open market that only a potential enemy would buy makes perfect business sense, and helps explain why war and weapons of war are the biggest business on the planet.
Tdoff @ # 94
" Increasing military aid to Israel " - Israel is up to their neck in debt and did not show well in the latest fight in Lebanon . Another good long term investment.
" building up the Saudi's military"- the Saudi's, Kuwaiti's , etc. are fat cats - Another good investment.
" training militia in Iraq" - these militia despise the USA . Another good investment.
" arming the West Bank Palestinians" - The PLO is corrupt to the core and they really do not like Israel or the USA . Another good investment. What about the people in Gaza?
OH. We will not talk to those people.
"navyswan" at a number of posts- " You are too logical"
Rusty has this one right.
How can you attack an enemy if the enemy doesn't exist?
You create it yourself.
When I left the gulf after my part of OIF, the Iranian Navy asked to escort our SG out of the gulf as a show of support.
Now the govt. wants to attack them. Look how things have changed in such a short time.
Goooooooooly! The Pentagon has an internet sales site. And they forgot to take vital parts of aircrafts off that site.
Well Gooooooooooly, Sargent Carter, we're in a heap of a mess. How you supposin' we're gonna get out of it?
Shazam, let's just not ship those items out and return the money to the buyers. I'm sure they'll understand.
Sure Gomer, that's what we'll do. We'll just return millions of dollars and forget the whole thing.
Goooooooly, Sargent Carter, that was a near disaster, wasn't it?
You're telling me, Gomer, you're telling me. Now where's Bunny?
Is this Bush Administration protecting Americans or are they protecting their fat pocketbooks???
[a plane flown only by Iran ]....
Bwaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha-------->infinity and beyond!
Military Lifers at work.
Now you know why I rant.
Aw c'mon... the DOD was just following Rumsfield's policies of making the Pentagon more business-like and getting the most for the taxpayer's dollar. Remember, they're also making the troops pay for any equipment damaged or destroyed and outsourcing to friendly contractors all the administrative, health and family support services. It's the capitalist's way: give sole source contracts to our GOP friends and make money however you can.
kbass @ 88:
Tell that to the families of the passengers on Iran Air 655 - The USS Vincennes seemed to think an F-14 was a clear and present threat.
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